By its third decade during
World War II (1939/1941–1945), the Londontown Manufacturing Company was known for making
waterproof clothing for the
United States Navy. Following the war the company partnered with
DuPont of
Wilmington, Delaware to make material for use in raincoats. These coats, which were the first to have a patented removable liner, were sold in nearby
Philadelphia, where they became very popular. Myers started experimenting with different fabrics in 1951, working with blends of cotton and polyester to help make a waterproof fabric. London Fog introduced its first Maincoat and was found/sold in
Saks Fifth Avenue luxury department stores in 1954, being one of the first companies to sell the raincoats and trench coats. The old historic Meadow Mill factory continued to make London Fog raincoats until 1989, when it was later redeveloped / renovated into commercial offices, apartments / condos and a large gymnasium / athletic club in the newer 1950s era annex warehouse reusing the old original historic name of "Meadow Mill" with its refurbished landmark clock / bell tower still visible after 147 years to heavily streaming vehicular traffic along the parallel
Jones Falls Expressway (
Interstate 83 in Maryland). In 1994 the London Fog company briefly left Eldersburg for
Darien, Connecticut, but returned after a sojourn of less than a year. London Fog had to file for bankruptcy protection in the fall of 1999, they also had to close over 100 stores. In 2000, most of London Fog's offices moved to
Seattle, Washington, although the distribution center in Eldersburg remained in operation until 2002. London Fog Industries, was set to emerge from bankruptcy after shedding more than $100 million in debt in 2001. Iconix Brand Group agreed to purchase the London Fog name for $30.5 million dollars (cash) with an additional $7 million dollars in stock. At the time, executive vice president David Conn of
Iconix had plans to market London Fog alongside
Coach and
Burberry., Nicole Scherzinger, and Neil Patrick Harris. London Fog established a significant presence in China, operating more than 100 standalone stores, while maintaining global distribution across over 2,300 retail locations worldwide. These include major department stores and retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Hudson’s Bay, Kohl’s, and Boscov’s, among others. During this time, the brand also engaged in select collaborations, including projects with fashion designer Jeremy Scott and the National Gallery, reinforcing its positioning as a modern-classic outerwear label focused on accessible luxury. ==In popular culture==